Skyrail Rainforest Cableway is a 7.5-kilometer (4.7 mi) scenic tourist cableway running above the Barron Gorge National Park, in the Wet Tropics of Queensland‘s World Heritage Area in Australia. It has won more than 25 awards.
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway journeys through the Wet Tropics Rainforest, home to the world’s oldest tropical rainforest, older than the Amazon Rainforest. It was the longest gondola cableway in the world when it was completed in 1995.
The cableway, which journeys over the MacAlister Range between Smithfield and Kuranda, includes six-person gondola cabins that glide meters above the treetops. A one-way trip takes about 1.5 hours, and a return trip is about 2.5 hours. Two rainforest stations, Red Peak and Barron Falls, allow exploration of the forest floor on boardwalks and education of the World Heritage area. Complimentary ranger-guided tours are available at Red Peak. An interpretative display of the ‘Rainforest Discovery Zone is located at Red Peak. A Rainforest Interpretation Centre, developed in conjunction with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), is located at Barron Falls.[4] The Edge Lookout, open to the public since March 2019, is located at Barron Falls. The lookout reaches out 160 meters (520 ft) above the Barron Gorge floor, with views across the Gorge and Barron Falls. The lookout also incorporates a glass floor section.
It was the only Australian finalist in the 2014 International Tourism for Tomorrow Award. In 2012, it was the first tourist attraction in the world to receive Platinum EarthCheck Accreditation. It won the 2000 British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow International Environment Award, the 1996 EIBTM European Greening of Business Tourism Most Environmentally Conscious Visitor Attraction Award, and the 2008 and 2009 Qantas National Award for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism. In 2000, it was inducted into the Queensland Qantas Award’s Hall of Fame for Best Tourism Attraction and in 2010 for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism.
Green Island is a beautiful coral cay on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Snorkel, dive, and swim in the warm island waters, view the spectacular reef from a semi-submarine or glass bottom boat, explore the island or just relax on the white sandy beach.
Available activities include snorkeling, semi-submarine and glass bottom boat coral viewing tours, buffet lunch, and free time to explore Green Island, National Park. A range of optional activities is also on offer including diving, helmet diving, beach hire, Marineland Melanesia Nautical Museum, and an underwater observatory.
Their Vessels “Big Cat” and “Reef Rocket” are modern air-conditioned catamarans offering the ultimate in comfort and feature spacious interior cabins as well as outside decks to enjoy the warm tropical climate.
Guests of all ages will have guaranteed interaction with the spectacular beauty of over 16,000 marine and land animals from two unique World Heritage listed areas; the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest.
Guests will follow the journey of a drop of rain as it descends from the Cairns mountain ranges into streams and rivers, through the rainforest, across the mangroves, into the shallow lagoons of the reef, and finally into the depths of the Coral Sea.
Be guided through ten amazing North Queensland ecosystems from the world’s most ancient rainforest to the world’s largest coral reef to discover 72 different exhibits showcasing the rare and incredibly unique species of this region. Endangered Freshwater Sawfish, Grey Reef Sharks and Humphead Maori Wrasse dominate the massive freshwater and marine habitats, while Amethystine Pythons and Emerald Tree Monitors make a spectacle of themselves in their terrestrial displays.
Enjoy presentations at Australia’s only Deep Reef Tank and get a hands-on experience at the marine and terrestrial touch tanks.
